Casket handling device



April 30, 1940. J. F. HICKEY CASKET HANDLING DEVICE Filed Jan. 4, 1938-odoo0 ooo 0 1 k 4 m m mm .H x mm M" m 0 w" L..

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Patented Apr. 30, 1940 CASKET: HANDLING. DEVICE James F. Hickey,

Application January 4,

5 Claims.

This-invention relates to an appliance to be used in handling caskets.At present, a very substantial part, of the cost of caskets is createdby thenecessity of providing handles on thecaskets for the purpose ofcarrying the same.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide anappliance whichmay be used to handle or carry a casket, which applianceis simple in construction and which'may be readily attached to ordetached from the casket after handle members pivoted to the baseportion and formed of continuous tubular rods disposed longitudinally ofthe side of the casket and forming handle grips for supporting thecasket all along the side of the same. With the particular applianceherein described the casket may be carried by any number of personswithout the necessity of providing handles on the casket itself.Moreover, the casket is easily and .firmly secured on the appliance andeasily removed therefrom.

The present invention, together with various objects and advantages ofthe same, will be understood from the following description of apreferred form or example of the. appliance embodying the invention, andfor this purpose I have hereinafter described, with reference to theaccompanying drawing such a preferred form of the invention. I

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation'looking at the side of the appliance.

Figure 2 is a plan view.

Figure 3 is an end View partially in section showing in dotted line theposition of the casket on the appliance.

Figure 4 is a fragmentarysectionindicating the manner of attachment ofthe handle tubes of the appliance. Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectionshowing the Los Angeles, Calif.

1938, Serial No. 133,302 (o1. gar-27$ construction of the retainers forcasket.

Figure 6 illustrates a modified form of retainer.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 1-1 of Figthe end of the v the ure 6.

Referring to the drawing, there is indicated a casket carrying appliancehaving a base formed of side tubes 2 and transverse tubes '3. preferredmode of construction of the base is to form the base out of tubularmaterial formed into sections of rectangular shape, sections 4, 5and '6being indicated. Contiguous transverse tubes 3 of-therectangularsectionsare attached together by suitable means, such aswelding, to render the base one rigidunit. The end sections i and 6 areindicated as each preferably provided with centrally disposedlongitudinal tubes 1 which extend beyond the'ends of the sections andare connected with diagonal stay tube members 8. The base-2 forms aplatform'f'or the The support of the bottom of the casket and'in order Ito hold the casket thereon the tubes 1 are pro vided with a series ofapertures 9 adapted to receive stays In which are shown as having pinsll adapted to pass through the apertures 9.

The stays H! are likewise provided with padding pivotedat one end andattached to a tightening screw I4 of the other end, whichlink mayencircle tube 1 so that the stay may be slid in any position withreference thereto.

An important feature of the present invention is'the method of formingthe handle forthe appliance. The major difficulty with attachments forcaskets heretofore proposed has been the fact that the handles on theappliances have had to be specially formed and have not always been inthe right position for handling different caskets. In the presentinvention handles extending nearly continuously along the base areformed and these handles are of tubular construction conforming with thedesign and appearance of the remainder of the appliance.

In the preferred form of the appliance there is indicated a tubularhandle l5 attached to each sideof the sections-4,5 and 6 of the base.Each of the tubular handles l5 has a longitudinal extending portion 16and curved and inwardly exher is provided with bifurcated extensions I!which receive reduced portions l8 of the ends I6 of the handles and arepivotally connected thereto by pins l9. Each of the separatehandles I5is of like design and is adapted to be pivoted from a collapsed positionwhere the handles are set against the base, as indicated in Figure 4,for which purpose the ends I6 of the handles are provided with thecurved portions 20, as shown in Figure 4, which curve in planesperpendicular to the base portion. The handles I5 are also soconstructed that they are also adapted to be swung out into the carryingpositions indicated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, and in which position thestraight portions I6 of all of the handles l5 are in substantialalignment.

By the construction of the appliance thus indicated it will be readilyapparent that the casket may be easily and firmly held in place on theappliance and the "appliance provides handles with sufiicient grippingarea so that the same may be carried in any desired manner. It will alsobe seen that the appliance consists almost solely of one material ofpleasing appearance.

While the particular form of the invention herein described is welladapted to carry out the objects of the invention, it is to beunderstood that various modifications and changes may be made, allcoming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A casket handling appliance, comprising a base member formed withlongitudinal and transverse metal tubes, the end transverse metal tubesextending beyond the longitudinal tubes and said extensions beingbifurcated, additional bifurcated extensions of said base portion, ahandle rail at each side of the base formed of a continuous tube havingits ends pivoted to said bifurcated extensions.

2. A casket handling appliance consisting of a base member to which ispivotally connected a plurality of tubular handle members, each tubularhandle member having a longitudinal portion and inwardly bent endportions, the end portions being pivoted to the base member along acommon axis whereby the longitudinal portions of the handle members areadapted to substantially align in the carrying position.

3. A casket handling appliance consisting of a base member to which ispivotally connected a plurality of tubular handle members, each tubularhandle member having a longitudinal portion and inwardly bent endportions, the end portions being pivoted to the base member along acommon axis, the longitudinal portions of the handle members beingadapted to substantially align in the carrying position, and each handlebeing suitably curved in its ends so as to adapt it to be pivoted flatagainst the base portion.

4. A casket handling appliance composed substantially entirely of metaltubes including a base portion formed by a plurality of tubes formedinto rectangles, the rectangles being attached together to form a rigidbase, tubular handle members attached to the base portion and providinglongitudinal handle gripping portions and curved ends, the curvedendsbeing pivoted to bifurcated extensions of the base portion.

5. A casket handling appliance composed substantially entirely of metaltubes including a base portion formed by a plurality of tubes formedinto rectangles, the rectangles being attached together to form a rigidbase, tubular handle members attached to the base portion and providinglongitudinal handle gripping portions and curved ends, the curved endsbeing pivoted to bifurcated extensions of the base portion, there beingcentral longitudinal tubes on the base portions and stays adjustablymovable along said central tubes.

JAMES F. I-HCKEY.

